Child of the Wasteland
by rennan
Summary: This is the story of a very strange boy and his adventures across the wastelands. Find out why so many people owe him there lives and why so many of his enemies know him as "that one jerk-off with the tail."
1. Chapter 1

_Hello due to recent events I've decided to try and rewrite this story as I have many times but never published. So if you read my older version of child of the waste you know I had Butch with Ava in the tunnels. Not this time instead Ill have Charon. Why? You may ask. well the idea of a 7ft tall zombie body guard the uses a shotgun and grumbles to himself all the time just seemed to appealing. Besides I never had butch as a follower any way. So without further ado (except for the disclaimer) I give you the new and improved __**Child of the waste.**_

Disclaimer: I do not own fallout in any way shape or form all right belongs to Bethesda and their respective owners. So please don't sue me.

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"Gather around children I have a story to tell. A story of great adventure danger mystery and heroics. It was not that long ago in fact but this adventure would become one of the great myths and legends of the capital wasteland. Now some may say that this is just a myth and nothing more that it's too farfetched to be true. But children I have seen stranger in my life time including beings from another world, but that's another story all together. No this is the story, of the child of the wasteland.

Ava stared down into the metro tunnel she had used just a few days ago her head teaming with emotions and ideas. Most of which were trying to debate over whether she should go back down there again. Her sapphire eyes staring from behind the glass of her brass goggles. A slight grumble from her new companion crashed her train of thought. Glancing behind her she saw the extremely tall and muscular ghoul scanning for threats. His pale eyes slowly moving back and forth in a permanent scowl.

He was an odd case. She had bought his contract two days ago intending to set him free. Instead he blew his old contract holder's head off and then simply stated that so long as she held his contract he was in her employ. After several attempts to convince him otherwise she got sick of him saying the same exact sentence over and over again. She stated with exaggerated movement "FUCK IT! Let's just go."

She sighed muttering that same phrase under her breath as she headed down the cracked and charred steps. Charon followed wordlessly, his aged leather armor creaking ever so slightly.

Charon looked at his new employer unsure what to make of her just yet. The fact she had tried to tell him he was free confused him, especially after paying so much for his contract. Though it might have something to do with blowing his former employers head apart.

She stood there staring down at a metro tunnel entrance, her armored vault suit hung on her loosely being a size to big. Her auburn hair was pulled up into a short pony tail and held together by a simple twine string. The clunky pipboy attached to her arm seemed slightly out of place on her slender form.

He turned back to scan for threats to his employer grumbling as he did so. His piercing gaze almost daring someone to run over the hill. He heard the heavy clunk of a boot from his employer and proceeded to follow her down into the metro.

She had been down here just a few days ago her foot prints had lingered only barley being dusted over. She strained her ears listening for any sign of a threat. Not hearing anything she preceded cautiously Charon followed suit keeping his combat shotgun holstered. Ava had seen the deadly efficiency he had handled the brutal weapon when he blew Ahzrukhal's head apart.

She turned the corner, hearing the telltale clicking of exoskeleton on tile; she looked down seeing a radroach scurry across the floor a few feet from her. Looking down she picked up a sizable chunk of ruble and chucked it at the mutated cockroach the resulting squelch echoed through the tunnels. She walked past the crushed bug to where a pile of glowing ashes laid sheets of metal in them warped by heat.

They stood atop a platform that crossed the room to a collapsed tunnel. The rest of the large room hadn't fared much better through the years, the ceiling had sagged dramatically while the missing chunks lay on the ground burying the behemoths of metal that once ran through the tunnels so long ago. They headed to the nearest set of stairs and started making their way down one of the clear tunnels. Other than the occasional radroach they didn't run into any trouble.

Of course that's when they heard someone yell.

Charon immediately brought his shotgun to his hands, faster than Ava could register. The yell sounded angry and full of malice. It was followed by someone screaming "SOMEONE KILL THAT BRAT." Ava took off anger already rising as she ran for the source, Charon keeping up with long strides. The shouts and laughter got louder and louder tell the entered a room almost identical to the one where they had entered.

She saw a flash of brown slip under a train across the room bullets striking the metal beast. Her head snapped to the other side of the cavern, two men and a woman were running out of the opposite tunnel donned in spikes leather and dried blood. Ava pulled her laser rifle out of its back holster switching it on; she aimed down the thin sights leveling it to the first raiders head. His hair was styled into a Mohawk and looked like it was gelled up with dried blood; his focus was on whoever had hid under the train. A bright red steak of light stuck his skull super heating the contents and causing the resulting pressure to make it fragment and explode in a shower of steam and grey matter. The other two raiders shifted their attention to Ava saving no time to morn there dead ally. Bloodthirsty grins plastered on their faces the woman swung a battered assault rifle to aim at Ava.

Ava's eyes widened having no cover but before the raider could even pull the trigger the butt of a shotgun was brung down on her head then blown apart in a shower of lead. Charon turned to the next one; he was equipped with just a rusty piece of rebar. He charged Charon bloodlust and fear in his eyes. He swung the metal rod down only to be caught by the oversized ghoul and with a twist of his hand he wrenched the weapon from the surprised man's hand only to receive it back full across his head. He dropped like a rock, dead before he even hit the ground.

Ava blinked in surprise, she hadn't even seen the ghoul move to the raiders and was amazed at the sheer strength the ghoul possessed. She rushed up to him his eyes still held that piercing cold stare. She looked over to the space between the train and the rails and slowly walked to the wreckage where the flash of brown had hidden. Coming up to it she crouched down to peer under the wheels, her eyes strained to see through the darkness. There huddled up to some rubble that had managed to get under the vehicle sat a boy. He had obviously had a bad day. He was covered in bruises, scratches and shaking uncontrollably, his light brown shirt barely hid the ribs poking from under his skin. He was curled up in a tight ball his hands hidden from sight and his eyes wide in fear.

Ava smiled softly trying to be as unthreading looking as possible "It's alright there gone now, it's safe we won't hurt you." She cautiously stretched her hand under the belly of the train.

His eyes darted to her hand and immediately stopped shaking. Ava took this as a good sign but he just stared at her hand unsure of what to do. After several tension filled minutes he very slowly started to uncurl and brought his right hand out. Now it was Avas turn to be shocked she stared at the bloodied extremity, five long talons extended from the fingers. He stopped trying to read her facial expressions.

She smiled a little awkwardly staring at the knife like claws; she had seen those claws before. The black talons belonged to one of the wastelands most fearsome creatures. She had seen them rip through thick metal armor as if it were nothing. Her eyes trailed up his arm trying to see the end of the glove. A thought struck her.

That wasn't a glove.

Still smiling she managed to say something. "Well… that's interesting isn't it?" the strange boy looked up at her and started to reach for her hand almost reluctantly. She tried to not jerk her hand back as his fingers found her hand with surprising gentleness and grace. She closed her hand around his and started to pull him out from under the train gently as he crawled out from under the train she saw it wasn't just his hands that were strange, his amber eyes glancing out from under brown shaggy hair the pupils slit and wide. A large leathery appendage swept out behind him and trailed up to the base of his spine. At full height he was just a bit shorter than Ava he let go of her hand. His eyes immediately studied Charon who, now seeing his whole form, had kept his scowl unchanged and stared back his eyes glanced to the dead raiders' then back to the ghoul. "Don't worry he won't hurt you as long as you don't hurt me or him." Ava said with a kind voice."I'm Ava the big guy over there is Charon, what's your name?"

He looked back at her and opened his mouth revealing that his canines were extremely long and sharp but quickly shut it before answering in a raspy voice. "Rennan."

Ava smiled glad she got something out of him. "Alright then Rennan we need to get some food in you. You look starved." His eyes seemed to brighten at that before becoming skeptical.

"Why." He asked not sure what to make of her. She pulled her pack from her back set it down and started digging through it.

"Because it would be stupid to save someone from raiders only for them to starve the next day." She answered flatly pulling out a box of dandy boy apples. "Here eat this." She tossed it to him. He caught it haphazardly and quickly sliced it open with a talon before emptying it into his mouth. Crunching the dried out apples loudly he eyed her, content she wasn't going to hurt him but still suspicious. With a dry gulp he finished off the apples

"I meant why save me? I don't owe you anything and I obviously don't have anything of value what are you getting out of this?"

She sighed "A clear conscience. Why does no one ever think I'm just a nice person huh?" she looked at him again. "The real question is what are you? I haven't been out here that long but I'm pretty sure I would have heard something about lizard people. So what's your story?" she questioned

He sighed a long sigh "wish I knew that myself. I don't remember much up to a few years ago and as far as I know I'm the only one of my kind so I'm just as stumped as you really did expect you to shoot me back there when you saw my hand. It's a nice change of pace when someone's not trying to put a bullet in your ass."

He frowned "why didn't yo-"

Ava cut him off irritated "shoot you? Can't you just accept I'm a good person? It's not that hard to believe is it?"

Rennan frowned and opened his mouth to say something but decided against it. He looked back at Charon intimidated by him. His eyes hadn't left Rennan since he crawled out from under the train car. He was observing taking in new information and processing it down to two basic out comes. Either he stays calm and doesn't try to kill his employer, or he tries something in which case he has took take him out quickly.

Fortunately he looked to scared and weak to try a stunt like that.

Ava stood up and shouldered the pack turning around she smiled. "Want to come with us?" she asked casually

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_Well there you have it personally I wanted it to be 4000 words or at least close. But I'm lazy and tired seriously I didn't sleep at all last night which is why this came out today. That and future me will take care of everything else. Thank you I hope you have enjoyed the newest version of child of the waste. Post a comment of what you thought of it. _

_Peace out._


	2. Chapter 2

_If you read my old version of this story you know Rennans answer but I'll have quite a bit of difference towards plot after this. Also I reread my first chapter after posting it like a doofus only then to realize the mistakes so hopefully this one will be better. Please post your critiques and thoughts in the reviews thank you._

**Disclaimer: I do not own fallout in any shape or form. All rights go to Bethesda and their respective owners.**

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I stared at her astonished. She didn't even know me and yet she wants me to travel with her? I furrowed my brow thinking if this was a good idea. They obviously didn't intend to kill me, even with full strength the ghoul could probably take me out.

My thoughts turned to my current life underground, which wasn't very appealing to begin with. The molerats had suddenly vanished a few days ago cutting me off from my already meager food supply. Hunger had forced me to try and steal food from raiders only to be spotted and chased here. Without food I would starve in only a few days.

I looked back up to her, she was waiting patiently for a answer. My tail swished back and forth in thought. With a defeated sigh I nodded, her smile widened showing extremely white teeth.

"Alright then." She declared "Onward with our quest! And who knows maybe we'll figure out what you are along the way?" and with that she started walking towards the tunnel I had run out of. Charon, I believed his name was, only mumbled in response.

I could barely make out something along the lines of 'damn smoothskin.' From under the ghouls breathe. I sighed once more 'I'm going to regret this aren't I.'

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'I hate being right thought' was the only thought in my head as I looked up at a face only a mother could love. Not two minutes after we left the tunnel had webeen caught up in the middle of a battle. The raiders I had attempted to steal from earlier were being attacked by two super mutants from across the river. Now this wouldn't have been a problem if a mirelurk hadn't come out of nowhere only to ram and throw me two feet from one of the raiders.

The raider looked at me, astonished, from the cover of a dilapidated wreck of a car. He raised the barrel of his shot gun to my face. Acting on impulse I rolled away from the gun just in time to dodge a face full of lead pellets. Now on all fours I launched myself towards the confused man. Sinking my claws into his shoulder and knocking him to the ground, pulling out one hand I swiped my talons through his throat with ease. The raider gurgled before lying still.

Then the car's engine caught fire.

Why you may ask? Well for unknown reasons the wasteland hates me, that's why.

I scrambled hoping to put enough distance between me and the car. Bullets whizzed past my head as I dove for cover behind an old bus. The resulting boom drowned out the gunfire and yells. The shockwave caused the bus to tilt and come to rest again. A dull ringing filled my ears as I felt someone grab my arm and pull me up I looked around, pain lancing through my head, only to see blurry blobs of grey and blue. But as my vision straightened and hearing returned I saw that the blue blur was Ava trying to help me up. I stood up quickly, the sound of gunfire returned except now there were fewer and less frequent.

"Are you okay?" Ava asked worry in her eyes, I simply nodded. With that she turned back to the battle at hand. The super mutants having killed the raiders with the explosion turned their attention to us. Though they looked battered already they looked giddy to shoot at a new target. One had a minigun that looked like it could fall apart any second, the other brandished a assault rifle that looked almost comical held in his huge hands. Charons shotgun may have been useful up close but too far away and you might as well throw rocks instead. Ava handed him something and she resumed shooting at them from behind the bus. Charon chucked said something across the river, the strange cylinder arching through the air and landing next to the minigun super mutant's foot. The tin can suddenly exploded in a blue fiery ball of death blowing the mutants leg apart and catching fire to the other one.

He started screaming and firing randomly trying to put the fire out. The familiar sound of a frag grenade echoed through to scene as the super mutants side exploded. His body fell over the edge of the wall and fell into the river as the fire snuffed out with a hiss.

I looked over at the ghoul then to Ava amazed. "What the hell was that!" I asked feeling a pang of worry as she smiled.

"That, my strange new friend, was a Nuka grenade. I bought the schematics a while back off a traveling merchant." She reached behind her and brought out another one. The rusted tin can had a thick wire hanging down off of it and formed into a loop. A large paper label that read 'Nuka' in bold letters stretched across its surface. "Its uses Nuka cola quantum as the main ingredient." She bolstered proudly and tucked it away. " but since the damn things are so rare I hardly ever use them. In fact I have a friend back in megaton trying to see if she can make more."

Megaton. That's where were going, when I found out I argued that they wouldn't let me in because of my appearance. She said that wouldn't be a problem and that the sheriff owed her a favor anyway. I hoped she was right, I really don't want to travel all the way out there just to get shot in the head at the gate.

"I suggest me get moveing, I'm sure that explosions going to attract attention." Rasped out a gravely voice that made me jump. I turned to see Charon looking back at us shotgun holstered. It was the first time I had heard him openly talk since meeting him. Ava nodded and rushed towards the bodies takeing any weapon that seemed usable I searched as well but instead for armor to wear seeing nothing that would do much good I started slicing off the better pieces from the corpses and throwing them in a satchel bag one was carrying, I'd just make some later. With the bag full of bits of leather and metal I returned to the group who were now carrying several busted and beaten weapons, and we started off down the street.

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After we passed the super duper mart we had climbed a hill to megaton.

Megaton a true testament to civilization in the waste they had taken a hole in the ground and built around it. The walls of scrap and plane parts towered over us menacingly and the gate stood closed. Ava had gone inside half an hour ago to talk with someone named Lucas Simms who I assumed was the towns leader. Charon stood next to me as I sat on a rock listening to the robot drawl in a horrible southern accent. The thing made me uneasy as the servos whirred and the faint beeps sounded from it. I didn't like it at all in fact I didn't like robots in general they brought up bad memories.

Before I could dwell on the subject any longer I heard the jett engine start up and the gears and pulleys groan as the two wings that acted as the gate to megaton slowly opened. When the noise died down I could hear a deep voice echo from the entrance.

"I need to see this for myself girl, even with all your stories this seems a little farfetched." A dark skinned man dressed in a leather duster and cowboy hat stepped out with a chinnesse assault rifle strapped to his back. He was talking to Ava who had dropped off the loot they had salvaged from the fight somewhere. She simply pointed to me with a smug look on her face as he turned. His eyes met mine as I swished my tail around nervously.

He turned back towards Ava a surprised looked etched across his face. "Alright fine he's real, but that flying deathclaw story is bull." He turned back to me and walked over. He stuck his hand out as if to shake it but when I clicked my claws together he decided against it. "well hello there my names Lucas Simms sheriff of megaton and if need be mayor to. Now I understand that your not going to hurt anybody in my town. Right?" he looked at me skeptically. I simply nodded, sure that if I talked that I'd screw this up. He seemed to cheer up a little and hinted at a smirk. "You got a name son?"

"Rennan."

"Well then rennan if you don't break any rules then we wont have a problem. Oh and don't mind the bomb." He grinned before turning towards Charon and giving him the same speech.

I got up and walked over to Ava glaring at the protectatron as I passed it. Ava was grinning having heard the conversation. Soon Charon joined us with Simms in tow. "doesn't talk much does he?" he questioned Ava, who replied with a shake of her head.

"Thanks Simms we'll behave." She said joyfully before heading back inside. I followed after her wondering what he meant about a bomb? As we entered I was struck by the sight of several scrap houses and walk ways around a large crater. several people glanced in our dirrection some stares lingered on me but quickly made on there way. The ground was peppered with metal boards acting as stares leading to a pool of water that held a atom bomb.

Oh. That bomb.

I pointed to said contraption of death. "Is that a nuke?" I asked voice a little wavery and confused as to why anyone would build a town around a bomb.

"Yup, and I got to tinker with it when I got here, not as complicated as you'd think though. Don't worry I deactivated it." Ava said boastfuly. That only put me slightly at ease but simply nodded.

"Well let me show you my house." She smiled. Charon only eyed the bomb for a few seconds before giving a grunt.

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Turns out her house was right next to the gate. The small stilted structure held a plethora of odds and ends rangeing from vault tec bobble heads to strange guns made from junk. All in all it was a nice house.

Just one problem.

"Good morning madam how are you this fine evening?" asked the tinny voice in some strange cheery accent.

"Oh and I see you've brought guests. I am wadsworth, robotic butler at your service. Im sorry for the mess gentlemen but madam seems to enjoy living in clutter." I simply glared at the mechanical squid. He jetted off going back to work sorting the strange objects and muttering something about storage space.

"So." I began. "This is your house huh? Whats with all the junk?" still looking around, from where I stood I could see the top floor held a nuka cola machine and two more bottom floor thought held three sets of locker a work bench, With something half finished on it, a couch by the stairs and some sort of computer station I suspected was for the robot. Next to the workbench was a metal stand that held several bobble heads. In the back of the main room was a small kitchen with a sink some shelves and a fridge.

"Its not junk its loot." She replied motioning me to follow her upstairs.

It wasn't perfect but it was certainly better than the storage closet I slept in.

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_There you have it shouldn't have tooken this long to wright. But things came up like sleep and video games. Tell me what you think of it in the reviews thank you._


	3. Chapter 3

Hello me again, danm I update slow. Anyway here's chapter 3.

Rennan simply stared at the thin metal door from a cardboard futon n the floor. The day had passed quickly and now he could only stare at the door unable to sleep. His ears picked up on the shallow and even breaths through the wall indicating that Ava had fallen asleep.  
She was too trusting. From what he had gathered she was from a vault close by, but when asked to explain why she was out here she simply stated the she was looking for someone. She was innocent and naive the wasteland would make sure to beat that trust out of her soon enough

He simply didn't know what to do, sure that if he falls asleep that the ghoul below would slit his throat. He listened for a noise from down stairs and could hear leather squeak as the ghoul shifted around. He was sure that the ghoul was still awake too making sure he didnt try anything.  
He didnt know what to make of his situation. Here was this strange and caring girl who invited him into her home with open arms. He was sure there was a catch, but he went with them anyway. He sighed as he peeked through a hole in the wall to the out side. The sun was starting to come up ans the first rays of sunlight filtered through the metal walls of the town. A sharp buzz assaulted his ears from the room beside his, only to be silenced shortly after. He could hear her foot steps as he walked around the patchwork shack Charon however didn't make a sound.  
Rennan stood up and opened the door looking over to see Ava exit her room in a ratty t-shirt and shorts. Her tired eyes spoting him poking out his head but quickly dismissed him with a small smile and lumbered down the stairs.  
He hesitated before following her to the main room where charon stood next to the door. She fiddled with a few switches and knobs on the computer station causing Wadsworth to jump to life.  
"Good morning madame how may I be of assistance?" The cheery hunk of metal called out. Rennan glared daggers towards it but the droid either didn't notice or didn't care.  
Ava mearly grunted in response and with that the robot flew off to her room, to presumably clean up. She then steped over to the fridge.  
Charon stared ahead towards the far wall but Rennan knew better he could practicaly feel his gaze on him. He sat down on the bottom step and clicked his claws together, the menacing blades gave off a metallic shine in the florescent light. His tail lay still beside him the only sign that it was alive was the occasional twitch from the powerful muscles within. He heard foot steps as Ava returned with three boxes of dried meat. Handing one to charon she turned to sit downnext to rennan. She handed him the other box careful to avoid the claws.  
The box itself seemed worn out and ancient with masking tape barely holding it together. 'Molerat' was wrote on the front in bold letters.  
He sliced open the top to reveal several strips of jerky and a salty aroma. With grace that seem impossible with such bulky claws he popped one into his mouth and chewed.

Ava watched at the strange boy as he ate. The light revealed numerous tiny scars along his hands and arms. His feet were bare and had small points for toe nails. As he chewed she saw that he had a extra set of canines on the top of his jaw as well as the bottom right behind the originals. She didnt know what to think of him, he was an enigma. One thing she was sure of though was that moria was going to find some inane way to fit him into the survival guide. It would probably be best to delay that meeting for awhile.  
"So" she began. "How long have you been on your own?"  
He looked up from his meal before looking back to it with a thoughtful expression. He looked back up but didn't meet her eyes.  
"Fourteen winters." He stated simply.  
Ava raised a brow at this. That was rather impressive. She couldn't imagine how he survived that long without help, but from how he shifted nervously around under her gaze she could tell he didn't trust her.  
She glanced back up to Charon who had remained Stoic through out the situation. The ghoul wasn't right in the head, she knew that much, but she wondered just what type of horrors he could've gone through to just shrug off they idea of a hybrid sitting in the living room.  
She turned back to Rennan, the young mutant sitting quietly having finished his meal. His reptile like eyes kept glancing to the staircase, as if expecting something to attack him. She had so much she wanted to ask, but were as she had a plethora of questions swarming her head earlier, she couldn't seem to summon them back up. She started to fiddle with her pipboy. The quest section section popped up, reminding her that Simms had asked to investigate some attacks on caravans nearby. She smiled at the needed distraction.  
"Alright so heres todays plan, the sheriff asked me to go check out some carravan attacks up the road. From what I've gathered its a few raiders that decided to set up shop. There shouldn't be to many so this should be some easy caps."  
Charon merely nodded while Rennan simply clicked his claws together. She mentaly sighed. 'I need traveling buddies who actually talk.'

Rennan simply stared ahead at the old crumbling school. Ava had been right about it being raiders but had failed to actually guess the groups size.  
They could see about five from where they stood. They hadn't been spotted yet either due to the cover of the remains of a house, or the fact that the raiders were stumbling around drunk.  
"Okay," Ava started "more than a few. But we can still take them." She seemed to force the enthusiasm, but started to discuss a plan, or would've if not for the bullet whizzing past her head. They dropped to the ground as the raiders started yelling curses and death threats. Ava poke back up to shoot a few rounds from her assault rifle before ducking back down.  
Rennan could hear heavy footsteps grow louder as they got closer. Charon stood up and fired off a few rounds as well, the sudden flesh thump signaling that he downed one bullets thumped into the old rotting wall of the house.  
Rennan felt useless, his large claws had prevented him from acquiring a gun. Ava raised her rifle above the makeshift barricade and held the trigger the spray of lead some how managed to down three more. The gunshots stopped on both sides. Rennan peeked around the coner to see a solitary raider standing there with a piece of rebar. Gasing at his in fear and confusion he looked back up only to meet a wall of buck shot to the face. Ava peeked her head over the wall and gave a cheer at the dead wastelanders. She quickly hopped over the pock marked barrier and quikly started to loot the bodies.  
Rennan glanced at them, they all wore jury rigged armour that looked like it wouldn't stop a dull knife. They smelt like they had never heard of soap, which was probably accurate. The shotgun had torn ones arm of with it laying a few feet from the body. He gulped, glad that he wasn't on the receiving end of that boomstick.  
Ava huffed, annoyed, before kicking the dead raider.  
"Didn't even have a few caps on them, bastards."  
She started to make her way towards the school turned raider camp. Rennan simply followed her, unsure if coming with her was a good idea. The small ragtag group made their way down to the front door. Ava kicked the door causing it to swing open. She steped inside looking around.  
Rennan stepped up behind her, he didn't like this, there wasn't anyone in the lobby. This place should be crawling with raiders, but the only signs of them were the makeshift cages on either side of the room he steped forward and sniffed the air, but could only smell Ava and Charon over the rot and decay, interestingly enough Charon smell more like leather and gunpowder than a corpse, Ava however smelled like bleach and steel, a very interesting combination. He took another step foward.  
Metal started clanking above them making Rennan stop in his tracks. His eyes snapped up towards the ceiling catching a glance of a large cage barreling down. Time seemed to stand still as he felt something forcefully push him foward. He stumbled a few feet before falling on the cold hard floor the walls of the cage slammed down onto the floor behind him with a mighty crash. He scrambled to his feet to see Ava and Charon trapped in the makeshift cage. He heard raiders start to yell as they ran to see what they had caught.  
"DON'T JUST STAND THERE, RUN!" Shouted Ava.  
He wanted to, he really did, but the cage blocked off the entrance. The widows had been boarded up meaning the only place to run to was deeper into the school.  
Alone.  
Against a horde of raiders.  
Without a gun.  
The yelling grew louder as he made up his mind, and sprinted down the nearest hallway. Adrenaline rush through him as he rounded the corner, he was going to die here, he spotted what he hoped was a closset, and quickly shut himself in.  
He dared not make a sound as the raiders past him by, screaming in triumph as the spotted their catch. As the last of the foot steps past by him he let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding.  
Only for the closet door to swing open. He froze as he stared back at the surprised raider, her purple mohawk looked menacing as a malevolent smile spread across her face.  
"Well well well, looks like we missed one." She brought her bat over her head and swung, knocking him out cold.

A painful throbbing was the first thing he registered, his eyes cracked open the room just dark enough that the light didn't sting his eyes. He breifly wondered where he was.  
'This isn't my room.'  
Panic gripped him as his memory rushed back. He tried to move but was tied down. A quick glance showed that his claws were bound together with duct tape and wire, as well as his feet and tail.  
"Looks like dinner woke up."  
He looked back to the horrid voice to see the same raider from before. He tugged on the bindings as she aproached him, licking her lips as she did. Rennan tried to scream for help but found that he was gagged with a piece of grimy cloth and tape to hold his mouth shut.  
"But first," she began "Im going to have a little fun."  
She was close enough now that he could see how bloodshot her eyes were. He thrashed and kicked but he couldn't break the ropes.  
She pulled out a rusty kitchen knife. And plunged it into his leg. His scream was muffled by the cloth and tape as tears rolled down his cheaks. The pain as almost unbearale.  
"I didn't quite catch that you'll have to speak up." She told him in a mocking innocent tone. She gave the knife a hard twist, the horrid blade cut deeper into him.  
At this point red started to crawl into his vision, as fear was replaced by anger.  
She yanked the knife out before thrusting it in even farther. He could feel it hit bone. He didn't scream in pain however at this point it was full unbridled rage.  
He had to get her.  
Make her pay.  
Had to escape.  
Live.  
Hunt.  
Kill.  
He heard something tear, but he dismissed it as he slashed her hand clean off, she screamed out in pain as the severed appandage flopped onto the floor.  
When had his hand broke free? Doesn't matter. He slashed at his bindings cutting himself in the process, he didn't care, all he cared about was the hunt. Quickly tearing off the gag, he started to growl, instinct drove him as he crawled towards his prey. She had curled up in a ball gripping the bloddy stump as it gushed her life force.  
He crouched down ready to pounce, and with a primal roar, that no human could make, he leapt at her. She didn't even have time to scream as his claws sunk into her gut and his teeth clamped down on her throat, crushing her wind pipe. The scent of blood flooded his sences as he thrashed his head back and forth, until he heard a sicking pop.  
He let the body drop to the floor as he heard more prey run towards him. The first one bursted in and stopped dead in his tracks as he saw the blood covered hybrid.  
The crazed mutant didn't gawk however and immediately charged. The raider raised up his pool cue in a feeble attempt to block the rasor sharp talons. The black knives slashed threw the aged wood with little effort and continued across his chest tearing through the weak barding. He dropped to the ground trying desperately to crawl away. Rennan raised his claws above him preparing to finish off his prey. Three bullets thumped into him, he whirled around angry that something attacked him while he hunted. Three more raiders stood there holding small pistols.  
He bellowed out another roar before charging them.

They had Ava hanging upside down in one of the old class rooms, her arms bound and her person stripped bare of weapons, which were stored in a set of lockers in the same room. Charon hung five feet across from her in the same situation, a angry look plastered on his face as he glared at the raider currently guarding the 'entertainment'.  
"When I get down from here I'm going to shove that rifle so far up your ass, you'll have to open your mouth to aim." How Charon said that so calmly yet with all the rage in the world, Ava will never know, She didn't have to think about it for long though as a blood curdling scream rang out followed by what she imagined a dinosaur would sound like.  
The raider jumped up to his feet fumbling with his shoddy rifle to bring it upto arms. Ava and Charon glanced a each other before looking back to the door, gunshots rang out followed by another roar then even more screaming and guns being fired. The guard shakily backed away from the door.

Right up to Charon.  
The oversized ghoul just happend to be tide up so the his head was the same level as the scared raider. His hands whipped out, having worked through the binding, grabbing the raiders head and slammed his head into the guards making him drop like a rock.  
The sounds of fighting had grown closer now, about fifty feet away. Charon worked quickly taking a hidden knife from his boot and sliced through the bindings holding him off the ground. He dropped to the floor with a meaty thump he scrambled up when what sounded like a body hit the door full force. He quickly sliced through Avas binds next catching her before she hit the floor she ran to the lockers quickly arming herself and tossing Charon his shot gun which he cocked eagerly. A roar bellowed out as the door flew off its hinges from another sudden impact.  
Ava spun around ready to shoot down whatever was slaughtering the raiders, but froze when she saw who stood in front of her.  
Rennan.  
He was covered in blood and limping, his claws were soaked in the scarlet liquid. A knife blade stuck out of his leg having shredded the upper half his arms were bleeding from bullet wounds. His eyes seemed wild, holding no intelligence at all, the pupils barley a sliver of black.  
"R-Rennan!?"  
He whirled around barring his teeth revealing them to be stained pink. He crouched down on all fours ready to pounce.  
Charon tackled him as he sprang, rolling out the door into the hallway. Rennan snapped at his neck but the ghoul nimbly dodged the powerful jaws. Charon dtew back his fist and punch the raging beast behind the jaw the resound crack told of broken bones. Rennan went limp, Charon rolled off his body nursing a cut he had received for the trouble.  
Ava ran over to the still body panicking, she pressed her head up to his chest waiting for something anything.

...

Thu-thump  
Thu-thump.  
She could feel his chest start to slowly rise and fall. She fumbled through her supplies for meds pulling out several syringes.  
"Charon, help me pull this knife out!"  
And so began the laborious task of healing the dieing boy.

and its finally done


End file.
